Title: Reign
Chapter: Five
Rating: PG-13 (PG for this chapter)
Genre: Fantasy/Friendship/Romance/Humor
Pairings or Characters: KuroFai in later chapters, Sakura, Syaoron, Ashura, Yuuko, Kamui, Subaru, Mokona
Challenge: None - one of those spurr of the moment fics.
Summary: At a young age, Kurogane woke up in the cold country of Celes with no memory and no name, only to be shipped off to the castle, where he was supposed to train to be a knight. That training included, but not limited to, dealing with the young (annoying, idiotic, moronic) Prince. AU
Author's Notes: Finally - one of them updat-y thingies! Enjoy~!
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.:21:.
He was kicking the rocks. Violently. And it didn't mater how many stubbed his toe before they went flying into the air - he kept on kicking. Behind him, low, whimsical 'hyuu's were emitted at regular intervals; quiet and tentative, as if the person/music box was trying to piss him off while also trying to waltz around any major land mines.
They had been traveling like this for thirteen hours straight - the first solo assignment Fai had been sent on that was a double assignment, as in it required his own, personal guard. And it pissed Kurogane all the more off that it had been the mage who had requested him come. He must had clearly communicated his irritability, for Fai had chosen to remain reasonably silent for the entire trip thus far; a safe precaution, if the guard did think so himself.
But, of course, that would only last so long.
"Are you mad that I made you come with me, Kuro-rin?" Fai asked sweetly, suddenly deciding he wanted to speed up and walk next to the other young man, his demeanor practically skipping when compared to the grumbling trot his companion had chosen.
Kick. "Do you even have to ask that?"
"Oh, mad, mad, Kuro-woof!" Fai scolded slightly, waggling his finger disapprovingly. "If you continue with that attitude, the people in Koryo are going to think that you don't want to be there. Then they might get violent."
"Let them," Kurogane grouched, and he stopped kicking pebbles in favor of fisting his hand around the hilt of his blade. "I will cut them."
"Hyuu~" (Kurogane had long learned that the mage couldn't whistle; this...sound was his compensation.) "So eager! I hope you're in a better mood by the time we get there." Fai folded his arms behind his head and allowed his companion's angry stride over take his own.
"Hm..." the brunette growled. He kept imagining countless Koryo people falling under his blade if they attempted to harm either of them, and for some reason, he could not shake the mental image of himself standing on a mountain of dead bodies, victorious, yet crying and clinging to a bloodied, female corpse...
Suddenly, thin arms were encircling his chest from behind (it must have been a smart move on Fai's part - Kurogane was less likely to slash at him with his sword if he was pressed to his back) and what felt like a cheek or chin was pressed into the plane of his back where shoulder blades melded into spine, nuzzling softly. Nuzzling! There was a tight constriction around his pecks, and for a second, it felt as if Fai were attempting to kill him, squeeze the life out of his body. But...it was just a hug.
Hugs were still unnatural, and thrashing a little, Kurogane successfully dislodged Fai sending him propelled backwards several feet before the blond ungracefully fell onto his backside in the dust. Clutching the hilt of his sword, Kurogane drew he blade half-way and whirled around to face the blond mage.
"What the hell was that!!?!?!?" Kurogane demanded, any patients he had developed from all the years of the blond's antics shriveling up and dying.
Fai pouted. "Kuro-sama, it was just a hug. To lighten your mood - it always worked for me and Chii."
"You're a moron."
Fai shrugged playfully and drew up one of his knees, still sitting square in the middle of the road. Kurogane continued to glower at him.
"Get up! We need to get going."
"I can't."
"Like hell you can't -"
"I sprained my ankle, Kuro-rough. When you pushed me." He gestured to the extended foot, which was indeed being held at a slightly awkward angle. "I can't walk like this."
"Uggg... Can't you, like, mend it? With your magic?" The brunette suggested sourly, hands finally abandoning his sword in order to cross defensively across his chest.
Fai shook his head. "I need to conserve my magic for the people at Koryo - they'll need my help."
"They aren't gonna get your help if you don't get there. How much magic can it take?!"
"...I'm no good at healing spells...They take more concentration and that takes more energy." For a second, Fai's voice wavered, and Kurogane's eyebrows shot into his forehead, but then the one in the middle of the road was smiling broadly, and waving his hands dismissively. "Can't you just...I dunno, carry me, Kuro-push?"
That nickname way laying the guilt on a little thickly, the warrior couldn't help but think. Fai giggled, closing his eyes; he didn't seem to expect Kurogane to even respond, let alone comply with his request...That, in itself, gave the taller man at least some sort of advantage...
Stepping quickly, and before the blond had even the chance to open his eyes, Kurogane looped one muscled arm under the mage's armpits. It was effortless to lift the young man, really - he should eat more, but everyone in Celes seemed to eat little to nothing - even when he flailed and kicked a bit. "Would you stop moving?!"
Immediately, Fai froze, gazing almost fearfully at Kurogane. "Kuro-up, I was only joking. I could limp."
"You'd look even stupider if you limped." With a little heave, the prince of Celes went up and was easily slung over the warrior's broad shoulder. "Now shut up."
Fai laughed a bit. "Kuro-burly is so friendly - even if he doesn't want to admit it." He used his left hand to affectionately pat Kurogane's lower back (the only part of him he could really reach when at this angle) and continued to chuckle.
Now, it was useless to tell him to shut up.
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There's one more chapter - the one that I've rewriten fifty friggin' times and STILL dun like - and the little epilogue thingy to go, so keep styaing tuned my lovely readers! ^^ Much love, and have a happy holiday~!
Oh, and has anyone noticed the age of CLAMP's lovely birds going up by three each chapter and then it suddenly jumps to four in this one (eight to eleven, eleven to fourteen, fourteen to seventeen and then seventeen to twenty-one)? xD Just a fun fact~